Inflatable ball



.lune 23, 1936.

C. J. CROWLEY ET AL INFLATABLE BALL Filed Dec. 23, 1932 iis PatentedJune 23, 1936 UNITED STATES ATEP'E' OFFICE INFLATABLE BALL Haven, Conn.

Application December 23, 1932, Serial No. 648,640

6 Claims.

This invention relates to inflatable balls, and more especially to ballssuch as footballs in which a bladder is contained within a suitable caseor cover.

Our improvements pertain especially tothe provisions whereby air can beintroduced into the bladder and the latter thereafter sealed, and toprovisions whereby the bladder can be detached or released from thecover for removal when this 'l is desired.

In the manufacture of footballs the use of metal inflating valves isundesirable as these provide hard inelastic parts in the surface of theball which are quite objectionable.

One of the objects of our invention is to overcome the drawback justmentioned, and in particular to furnish a satisfactory form ofall-rubber valve.

Another object is to provide a Structure which can be very readilyassembled and used, and the use whereof is very convenient.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features tobe hereinafter described and claimed.

`In the accompanying drawing:

Fig'.Y 1 is an elevation of a football equipped with our improvements,the ball being partially broken away to show the interior structure;

Fig. `2 is an enlarged section on line 2--2 of Fig.` l; Y

Fig.`3 is an enlarged section of a portion of the casing member;

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View of a portion 'of the bladdershowing the valve structure carried by the bladder;

`Fig. 5 is a detail top plan View of the rubber socket member as itappears before it is applied to the casing or cover;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View showing the valve structure before it isapplied to the bladder; and

Fig.` 7 is a View on a considerably enlarged scale of a portion of? Fig.2. V

In the drawing we have shown our improvements applied to a football ofoval shape, but our invention is applicable to balls of other shapes.

Inthe particular form illustrated by way of example, the football isprovided inthe cover with the usual slit through which the bladder is"introduced, and this slit is held closed by a lacing, and at a pointoffset from the lacing the lbladderis equipped with an all-rubberinflation valve, which valve cooperates with a rubber socket on theinterior of the cover to hold the bladder removably in place in thecover so that it will not be dislocated laterally relatively thereto.

In the drawing the cover is shown at III, the slit through which thebladder is introduced at I I, the lacing at I2, the bladder at I3, therubber socket member carried by the cover at I4, and the all-rubbervalve structure carried by the bladder at I5.

The valve structure I 5 comprises a solid rubber body I6, which is ofgenerally cylindrical shape and has disposed therein an elongated plugmember Il also made of rubber. The plug member I'I is of cylindricalshape and considerably elongated relatively to its cross-section andextends through a narrow cylindrical passage IB which is longitudinallydisposed with reference to valve body I6 and is'preferably offsetsomewhat from the center of saidvalve body, as shown more particularlyin Fig. 2. On top of the valve body, the plug member I'I is providedwith an integral rubber flange I9 preferably of about the same diameteras the valve body, and extending upward from flange I9 is an integralrubber sleeve or projection 20. The sleeveZ fits an opening 2l in coverIl) at a point offset from laced opening I I, and a small hole or bore22 in sleeve 20 leads from the upper faceV thereof to a point adjacentthe periphery of the body of plug I'I .so that an inating needle, notshown, can be guided to a point on the periphery of the plug andthereafter caused to project down through the valve body alongside theplug so that the inner end of the needle will enter the space in theinterior of the bladder and assume a position for inflating the bladder.

It will be observed that in the particular form shown the sleeve ZI! isarranged concentrically with respect to valve body I6. This sleeve whenthe parts are assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 2 extends to theouter face of cover Ill so as to be substantially flush therewith.

The lower end of plug member Il extends downwardly beyond the valve bodyI6. In Fig. 2 this lower end portion of the plug member appears as beingof greater diameter than the body portion of said member, but inpractice we prefer to make the body of the plug member of the samediameter throughout its length, and the fact that the drawing showsportions of different diameters is due to the compressive effect of theelastic body I6 and to the elongation of the plug member in its bore orpassage, it being held under tension therein.

The Valve body I6 is preferably secured to the bladder i3 by a flangestructure such as that now to be described. About midway of its ends thevalve body has an integral rubber fiange 23 projecting laterallytherefrom, this flange constituting the bottom of a cup member, aportion of the side wall of which is constituted by a substantiallyupright wall 24 integral with flange 23. From the upper edge of wall 24the rubber structure is continued upwardly and outwardly to form anattaching flange 25, the lower surface of which is preferably beveled,as shown at 26. The bladder I3 is provided with an aperture 2'I throughwhich the cup-shaped part 24, 23 is introduced, and the under surface offlange 25 is cemented or otherwise suitably secured to the bladder in aregion around the aperture 2l.

For attaching the valve structure and bladder removably to the cover I0,the rubber socket member I4, hereinbefore mentioned, is provided withmeans whereby it may be detachably secured to the valve body IIB. Forthis purpose we prefer to provide rubber connecting means constituted bycoarse interior rubber threads 28 formed within and as an integral partof socket member I4. These threads 28 are adapted to be engaged withcorresponding exterior rubber threads 29 formed on the valve body I6 asan integral part thereof. The socket member I4 can be convenientlyattached to cover I6 by suitable means such as stitching 39, passingupwardly through an integral rubber iiange 3| with which the socketmember is provided and through the wall of the cover, as shown in Fig.3.

The assembled position of the parts is shown in Fig. 2.

The upper end or mouth of the passage I8 is preferably made of a flaringshape, as shown more particularly in Fig. 7. This facilitates. theintroduction of the iniiating needle into the passage.

It will be understood that the sleeve 20 tting within inating aperture2| of the cover locates the valve structure with regard to the cover andserves to guide the inflating needle to a position in which it can becaused to pass through the valve body in the manner hereinbeforedescribed. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, plugelement I1 is under tension and is also under considerable compression,owing to the fact that the body I6 is distended by the act of insertingthe plug into position Within the same. In other words, the wall of thetubular enclosing member is expanded laterally and presses inwardly andlaterally on the plug. The plug, on the other hand, exerts a strongoutwardly and laterally acting force to hold the valve structure closed.Thus, when the needle shank is withdrawn from the inflating position,the relatively long passage through which it has been introduced isimmediately closed and the bladder is sealed in a most effective manneragainst leakage of air.

When it is desired to remove the bladder from the football, this can bedone very readily. The ball being deflated, the laced slit is opened andthe valve structure I and attached bladder can be detached from thecover by unscrewing the valve structure from the socket member I4. Afterthe bladder has been removed, a new bladder can be placed in the coverif that is desired.

Various changes can be made in the details of the structure withoutdeparting from the scope of our invention as dei-ined in the claims. Wehave not attempted to illustrate cr describe the many modificationswhich may be made without departure from the principles of theinvention.

Where we refer to material as being rubber or all-rubber, it is intendedthat the material have rubber characteristics, and it is intended that acombination of rubber and cloth-inserted material may be used ifdesired.

What we claim is:

1. In an iniiatable ball, a cover having an inflating perforation, abladder, an elastic tubular member attached to the bladder andpresenting an elongated longitudinal passageway from the exterior of thebladder to the interior, a narrow elongated elastic closing plug undercompression in said passageway so as to close and seal the same, saidplug extending out of said passageway at the outer end of the latter andinto the iniiating perforation of the cover, means associated with theouter end portion of the plug adjacent the outer surface of the coverfor guiding an inlating needle to a position alongside the plug in thepassageway so that the needle can be extended completely through thepassageway and into the interior of the bladder for inflating thelatter, and cooperating means of engagement carried by the outer lateralportion of the tubular member and by the inner face of the cover aroundthe inflating perforation whereby the bladder is held to and against thecover, said last-named means being manually manipulable when the bladderis in deflated condition to detach the bladder from the cover whendesired.

2. In an inflatable ball or similar article, a cover having an iniiatingaperture, a bladder, an elastic outer valve member having a ilange bywhich it is attached to said bladder, said valve member having a narrowlongitudinal passageway, the wall of said passageway being elastic andrelatively thick, a narrow solid elastic plug or inner member having abody normally greater in diameter than said passageway arrangedlongitudinally in said passageway and under lateral compression thereinover a considerable area for sealing the passageway, the outer endportion of said plug extending into said inilating aperture, coarseelastic screw threads formed integrally with said outer valve member atthe side thereof, and a fastening member of elastic material secured tothe inner surface of the cover around said inlating aperture andpresenting a socket having interior screw threads engaging the threadsof said outer valve member so as to hold the outer valve member andbladder detachably to the cover.

3. In an inflatable ball or similar article, a cover having an inilatingaperture, a bladder, an elastic outer valve member having a bodyprovided With a ange by which it is secured to said bladder, said outervalve member having a narrow longitudinal passageway, an elastic innermember or plug having the portion intermediate its ends normally ofgreater diameter than said passageway and longitudinally arrangedtherein under compression by the wall of said passageway so as to form aseal extending over the lateral exterior area of said intermediateportion, Said inner member having both ends extending longitudinallybeyond fsaid outer member, the outer end of said inner member beingdisposed in and tting said inflating aperture and provided with a holefor an inflating needle, the outer surface of said outer valve memberbeing provided with integral elastic screw threads, and an elasticfastening member applied to the cover and having a socket with interiorelastic threads engaging the threads of said outer valve member to holdthe valve structure and bladder in place relatively to the cover.

4. In an inflatable ball or similar article, a @over having an inatngaperture, a bladder,

an elastic outer valve member of approximately cylindrical form, anapproximately cup-shaped elastic member having the bottom portion of thecup integral with said outer valve member intermediate of the ends ofthe latter, said cupshaped member having a flange at its rim portionwhereby it is secured to the wall of the bladder, said outer valvemember having a narrow passageway longitudinally arranged therein, aninner elastic valve member in the form of a narrow plug longitudinallyarranged in said passageway and under compression therein for sealingthe passageway, the valve structure having at its outer part a memberdisposed in and fitting the inflating aperture of the cover so as tolocate the valve and bladder relatively to the cover, elastic screwthreads formed integrally with said outer valve member at the sidethereof in the space between said cup-shaped member and the cover, and afastening member applied to the inner face of the cover and having asocket with interior elastic threads engaging those on the outer valvemember.

5. In an inilatable ball or similar article, the combination of a coverhaving an inilating aperture, a bladder, an elastic outer valve member,an elastic inner valvel, member longitudinally arranged in the outervalve member, said valve structure having at its outer end portion aprojection fitting within the inflating aperture of the cover, acup-shaped elastic member integral with the outer valve member, thebottom portion of the cup being located intermediate of the ends of theouter valve member, said cup-shaped member being located in an openingof the bladder and secured to the bladder, said outer valve member beingprovided within the cup-shaped member with exterior elastic threads, anda member applied to the inner surface of the cover and fitting withinsaid cup-shaped member and having elastic threads engaging those of theouter valve member to hold the valve structure and bladder in placerelatively to the cover.

6. In an inflatable ball, a cover having an opening, a bladder having avalve attached thereto, said valve comprising a member projectingoutwardly from the bladder, means for attaching the bladder to the covercomprising screw threads on the outer wall of said projecting member and20 ing outwardly from said valve member and dis- 25 posed in the openingin the cover through which an inilating needle may be inserted.

CORNELIUS J. CROWLEY. PAUL S. MADSEN./

